No citation issued for grass fire that threatened homes

Aug. 18, 2013 at 3:18 a.m.

A grass fire burned a pasture, off of Summer Lane in unincorporated Victoria County, belonging to Karen and Robert Allums. The fire began Sunday about 4 p.m. as a controlled trash burn on a neighboring property that got out of control and spread, said Victoria County Fire Marshal Ronald Pray.

The blaze threatened several houses and some livestock, but caused no serious property damage, and firefighters from Victoria, Raisin and Quail Creek were able to bring it under control within about 10 minutes, Pray said. Another fire, also started by neighbors burning trash, occurred in the Summer Lane area last Monday, and Wednesday a burn ban was put into effect for Victoria County.

Pray said no citation was issued for the most recent fire because the ban was ordered only a few days before, but he urged homeowners to pay constant attention and exercise extreme caution while conducting controlled burns when no burn ban is in effect.

"You can't go in and have a snack," he said.

Pray also recommended that residents take trash to a courtesy station rather than burning it themselves. Fires that get out of control and damage others' property can result in criminal charges for the person who started the fire, he said.